Ina Garten is my muse. Check out my Amazon list and see that it features everything Ina. I am not sure exactly when I started watching it here but it was at least five years ago. I love her simple approach of taking things you know and love and really making the very best version of them that you can. Never too fussy and always delicious. I also love to read all of her ideas on entertaining.
You will likely be hearing a lot about Ina here. So you must learn the Rule of Ina:
The Rule of Ina - Her recipes are often chock full of butter, or heavy cream, and she is a little heavy handed with the Kosher salt. I KNOW THIS. And I love her anyway. So please refrain from leaving any fat and cholesterol sermons in the comments section, because I am already completely beyond conversion.
But I will start you off slowly with one of her healthier recipes. Grilled Lemon Chicken. We eat a lot of boneless skinless chicken. A lot. I have plucked a few feathers from my ass, we eat that much. This recipe is, in my opinion, the best thing to do with chicken breasts 75% of the time. The other 25% I reserve for when I make Jackie's Chicken Marsala, a recipe that will come here one day and you will swoon with delight when you make it.
The chicken gets a delicious lemony tang to it and the salt tenderizes the meat and it comes out juicy and perfect every time. Even when I get distracted by weeding or a new magazine or a phone call when it is on the grill and I leave it on W A Y to long. Not that any of those things every happen. I make a big batch of it and we eat it hot the first night, then sliced cold over salads a day or two later. Leftovers also make excellent chicken salad.
Ina's Grilled Lemon Chicken - Mix 3/4 cup f
reshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons), 3/4 cup olive oil, 2 t. kosher salt, 1 t. freshly ground black pepper and 1 T. minced fresh thyme leaves (I prefer tarragon, but do what you must) in a bowl. I just use a measuring cup because I am all about using only one bowl any time I can.
Pour the marinade over 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, in a plastic bowl or baggie, any non-reactive container. Marinate at least 6 hours or overnight. The longer the better.
Grill for 8-10 minutes per side, but adjust according to your breast size. Har Har.
Ina's Grilled Lemon Chicken -
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup olive oil
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. minced fresh thyme leaves (I prefer tarragon, but do what you must)
Whisk everything except the chicken in a bowl. Pour marinade over the chicken in a baggie or non-reactive bowl and marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Grill chicken breasts for 8-10 minutes per side.
